


The Day Off

by lolahardy



Series: From Dark to Light [5]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Angst, Arguing, Class Differences, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, Internal Conflict, M/M, Power Imbalance, Soulmates, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:29:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1678181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolahardy/pseuds/lolahardy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur does have a day off occasionally</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Day Off

**Author's Note:**

> Beta-ed by my love [Leesha](http://darlingleesha.tumblr.com)!

Arthur did occasionally have a day off.

On those days, he usually slept - all day, exhausted from the previous night’s work and when he woke up, he served himself some cereal or cooked lunch, depending on his mood and ate in his baggy track pants and his old college sweatshirt.

He would go out and buy groceries, in the same attire and sometimes treat himself to Starbucks or a donut if he had an especially shitty night before. He would do his laundry and catch up on his social media, watch some mind numbing television and clean up his apartment, which went mostly neglected since he worked so much. He blasted music and took off the sweatshirt, revealing a plain white cotton shirt that was frayed and thin from so much wear. He danced while he cleaned, mindlessly, without paying attention to anything but his chores.

He didn’t think of Eames. He didn’t. He left all of that - including Eames, at work.

Except when he was straightening out his bed and caught the sparkle of his gift on his dresser from the corner of his eye. He stopped for a moment, sparing it a glance before going back to work.

He didn’t look at again until he was done and it was one in the morning. He got in bed, wearing his pajama pants and grey Henley shirt, and picked up his Game of Thrones novel, something he had been trudging through to finish for months now. He adjusted his lamp, his book on his lap as he looked up and saw the sparkle of his bracelet.

Arthur sighed to himself, leaning back against the headboard, looking at the top of his dresser where the coil of the diamonds lay. He wore it on and off when he went to work, mostly when he knew he was going to see Eames and took it off once he got home and showered. Now on his rare day off, he couldn’t stop looking at it. He set his book down, throwing back the sheets as he got up and walked over to the dresser, picking it up and bringing it back to bed. He sat down, rubbing the gems between his fingers as if he was wiping off smudge marks. The sapphires were such a deep blue, the diamonds so flawless that they caught every bit of light as Arthur slid the platinum chain up on his hand.

Of course he had gone home and Googled the bracelet, looking it up, seeing it cost a pretty penny. It only reaffirmed that Eames had money...money that had been raining upon Arthur and helping him make ends meet.

Arthur hated that there had to be an exchange of money between them. It made him feel cheap and used. Made him feel like the prostitute he kept claiming he wasn’t. But Eames never made him feel that way on purpose, Arthur made it perfectly clear that he was just a client; a customer like everyone else.

Only he wasn’t like everyone else despite Arthur’s better claims.

Arthur clasped the bracelet back around his wrist and let it sit there, admiring it for a moment before he got back in bed and picked up his book again.

The next afternoon when he woke up, he went through most of his usual routine. Shower, lunch, all in his baggy sweats and sweatshirt before he changed into jeans and a shirt before throwing his work Converse and his shorts in his bag before leaving for the day.

He drove to work and parked his car and went inside, the club mostly quiet and dim since it was still early. Arthur greeted the bouncer then headed to the dressing rooms were some of the other dancers were. Most were still in their street clothes, others getting ready for the night in similar attire Arthur wore as they smoked cigarettes or brushed their hair or applied make up.

Arthur took his seat in front of his mirror and table with a sigh for a moment before he realized there was something on his table; a large crystal vase with a dozen white roses sticking out of it. Arthur dropped his bag beside him and stood up again as he plucked the card that was sticking out of the top and sat down again. He flipped open the small envelope and took out the card to read it.

_‘You were missed last night - E’_

Arthur rolled his eyes, mostly for show as he looked at one of his coworkers and said,

“When did these get here?”

The other boy turned and thought as he said,

“This afternoon, right before your shift. Anyone special?”

Arthur stuffed the card back in the envelope as he said,

“No. I mean...well no. Maybe.”

The other dancer only laughed before going back to his reflection.

Arthur looked back at the roses and stood up once more to look over them at his mirror before leaning down and smelling the sweet perfume of the bouquet. He allowed himself a small smile and then sat down again, putting the card into his bag as he began to prepare for the night.

He would thank Eames for the flowers tonight.


End file.
